Texas Electricity Ratings: The Blog

UPDATE 1/10/2013: PUC Complaint Scorecard Still Needs Some Work

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A couple months back I spoke with the PUC, on a story linked here, regarding the PUC’s handling of their self-trumpeted ratings system for REPs. When I started asking questions, they quickly turned around an update the following date and the improvements in their process were clear. Since then, they’ve not done anything else. In the link here, you’ll notice that they have not updated their Texas electricity ratings to include November or December numbers. I struggle to think of any legitimate explanation for someone not doing their job over there and leaving November results off the radar for customers for going on 6 weeks now. Beyond that, consider the reality that if customers are using their ratings system, as the commissioners are fond of representing in their comments and meetings, then they’re basically encouraging customers to make decisions on their provider options using what is now almost one quarter-old data. By any common standard other than a governmental bureaucracy’s, that is unacceptable.

Too right! I need good info to make an effective choice of my electricity “provider” for the next few years as I’m at the end of my current contract. Taxes, odd fees, including billing fees make this a juggling act at best. I’m the sole source of income for my one employee and if I make a bad decision here, it affects her as much as it affects me. Perhaps this information is now available from the PUC; it’s February 6th and I haven’t looked for more updates beyond this writing (1/10/13). At any rate, I’m exhausted from the challenge and my deadline is approaching. Good luck to all of my fellow consumers in Texas; I feel your pain.

Sorry, don’t know where to put this, but just felt like I needed to say it somewhere. Just switched to New Leaf Energy, and my first bill covered a period of 2 days (Jan 30 & 31) yet this still charged me the entire monthly base charge of $5. I sent an email pointing out that it seemed like it should be prorated for the fact that the bill didn’t cover a full month. They emailed back and apparently agreed, saying they have prorated the base charge and credited my account $4.50.

That’s fair and I’m happy with the outcome, but it makes me wonder — had I not complained, would they ever have credited me the $4.50? If not, does that mean all their customers are getting overcharged in any partial months (likely the first and last months) of service? Is that standard practice for Texas providers?

The PUC website says to first resolve any complaints with the provider, which occurred, so it doesn’t seem that appropriate place to voice this. I would’ve rated New Leaf on your site, but don’t see them as an option.

New Leaf is a pretty new provider to the market, and I just haven’t had the time to add them to my site yet. When I do, I’ll put this review under their listing where it belongs. Thanks for taking the time to leave a review!